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QuickReckoning.Com Software Security Policy - 

When you attempt to download and install our software, you will probably get scary messages similar to the ones shown below.  These messages are the result of ambitious attempts on the part of large companies to extract a payment (about $500/year) so that friendlier messages appear rather than the ones shown below. 

Though we, and other software developers, disagree, according to the company Verisign it is important that publishers use a "Digital Signature".  According to their web site here's what a digital signature is and also what it's used for -

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What is a digital signature?

A digital signature functions for electronic documents like a handwritten signature does for printed documents. The signature is an unforgeable piece of data that asserts that a named person wrote or otherwise agreed to the document to which the signature is attached.

A digital signature actually provides a greater degree of security than a handwritten signature. The recipient of a digitally signed message can verify both that the message originated from the person whose signature is attached and that the message has not been altered either intentionally or accidentally since it was signed. Furthermore, secure digital signatures cannot be repudiated; the signer of a document cannot later disown it by claiming the signature was forged.

In other words, Digital Signatures enable "authentication" of digital messages, assuring the recipient of a digital message of both the identity of the sender and the integrity of the message

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QuickReckoning.Com's position is that it shall not be blackmailed by these companies so that, in exchange for a payment for a "digital signature", our products are provided with friendlier messages when you download them.  

We use "QuickWebSecure (tm)", a program that monitors our web site continuously and ensures that the files we've placed there are not changed unless WE change them. You may read about how we ensure that our programs, which you download, are protected even better than those protected with DIGITAL SIGNATURES, and how much more flexible our technique is for software development especially when one expects to update a product frequently based on what its user base suggests. CLICK HERE)

The types of messages you may receive when downloading any of our products are shown below and explanations of each are given along with our stated guarantee to you that our products are safe regardless of what these messages will tell you..  

Figure 1 - From Internet Explorer

This information clearly states that the software file comes from www.quickreckoning.com.  We are thereby identified as the provider of this software and we are the publisher, and therefore the inference is that WE ARE RESPONSIBLE for it.  If this software installs some sort of virus on your computer, which is against the law, then we have clearly identified ourselves as the party responsible and we therefore open ourselves to litigation from the federal government of the United States of America.  This is your guarantee that we would not be so foolish to both identify ourselves, then publish virus ridden software.  

(Always select the RUN button when you see this message in Figure 1.  Doing so will cause your browser to download our product and probably cause the display in Figure 2 to appear.)

Figure 2- Now we are identified as UNKNOWN

As indicated in Figure 1, our company, QuickReckoning.Com has been identified as the source of this software.  We are the publisher, and we are responsible for making sure that this software doesn't install a virus on your computer.  If it does install a virus then you may contact the FBI and let them know this.  In short, your security is based on the fact that we have identified ourselves via this web site, which is a commercial web site that sells software.  

(As was the case in responding to Figure 1, you should once again (we apologize for the inconvenience Microsoft has caused here) state that your intention is to RUN this software by selecting the RUN button.)

Microsoft, Verisign, and other commercial software companies want you to believe that unless a company such as ours PAYS for a "digital signature", the software is NOT SAFE. As evidence for the preceding statement, if you click on the link that says "How can I decide what software to run", you are taken to the following display.

Figure 3 - Microsoft's "3 conditions" checklist for downloading Internet software

If you read the 3 conditions for safely installing software available on the internet: "Did you ask for the software", "Do you know who published the software?", and "Do you know what the file will do to your computer?", we submit that you've already answered the first two questions.  

You are asking for the software when you click on the link to download it, and you know that QuickReckoning.Com is the publisher.  

The third item, "Do you know what the file will do to your computer" can NEVER be answered YES by anyone because you really have no idea.  No-one does.  Even Microsoft's information on their web site states in part - 

"With increasingly active content on the Internet, end users often must decide whether or not to download code over the Internet. However, end users cannot really tell what a piece of software will do until they've downloaded it to their computers."  Microsoft Web Site

(Ref - http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/?url=/library/en-us/dnauth/html/msdn_codewp.asp)

Therefore, all publishers can do is describe the software, and, if they are like us, allow you to try it out for free.  A free trial of the software is the only way for you to know what the software does.

Though unclear, what item 3 really means is, "Do you know that the software will not harm your computer?".  Again, you can never be sure, even with digitally signed software. However, like digitally signed software, a publisher is taking ownership and responsibility that this software will NOT harm your computer.  

Without paying the cost of a digital signature, QuickReckoning.Com hereby states that QuickReckoning.Com is the publisher and that the program you are downloading will not cause harm to your computer and will simply perform as advertised and that you have a right to trial use of this product.  We use QuickWebSecure (tm) software to monitor and if necessary correct problems created by outside hackers.

 

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Last modified: October 10, 2018